Managing Price Risk Paresh Shah Agri Business Corporation
Major Concerns Poor returns on labor and investments Lack of non farm opportunities Yield Price Input Technology Credit Water availability-Need for harvesting
Alternatives available Contract Farming Forward Sell Hedge in Futures market Options on Exchange Not yet available in India
Why the farmers do not hedge ? Knowledge Quantity / Lot size Delivery Mechanism Storage / warehouse norms Grading of goods LIQUIITY / FINANCE No PAN Card / No official funds
Is it possible to hedge ? ? Exchange traded contracts permit delivery only in a specific city / cities. Provisions for initial margin Can the debt ridden farmer arrange for MTM ? Can he deliver goods on the exchange ? If not, then the price difference between spot and futures market while he settles contract on the exchange.
Illustration A farmer hedges 10 MT Chana on April’09 contract in November at Rs Contract value = Rs. 2,20, 000 7% for 6 months = Rs. 15,400 Provision for MTM anticipating price can rise upto Rs.2700 = Rs. 50,000 Margin during last days 5 of delivery tender period = 25 % = Rs.55,000 Approximate Transaction Cost = Rs DOES FARMER ACTUALLY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY ??
Other limitations Banks / Institutions give loans but do not extend OD limits against demat goods. Even when delivery request for goods has been accepted by the exchange in the last 5 days of contract expiry, the seller is suppose to pay additional margin upto 40 % irrespective of the fact that he has goods and even the exchange recognizes his delivery intention. (In case of goods where early pay in is not allowed.)
Possible reforms Crop insurance should encourage hedging and partly willing to bear the margin. Increasing the no. of delivery centers. Lot size in accordance with the average output of a farmer. Considering price fluctuations, margin requirements(Initial+m2m) is big. Funding towards this has to be arranged.
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